


Touchdown

by AChaoticLove



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Felicity Is The Team Nurse, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, football au, no Green Arrow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23088706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AChaoticLove/pseuds/AChaoticLove
Summary: Professional football player, Oliver Queen, is dealing with the emotional and physical repercussions of an accident he was in eight months ago. Everything seems to be going wrong in his life until he meets Felicity Smoak, the new team nurse for the Starling City Archers. Romance Ensues. Alternate Universe. Lots of fluff, a little bit of drama.
Relationships: Oliver Queen & Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Comments: 38
Kudos: 156





	1. A New Season

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing anything Arrow related. I’ve had this idea forever and finally decided to bring it to life. Hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about football or nursing, so fingers crossed that there are no technical mistakes. Feel free to correct me. 
> 
> Also, still getting used to this website so I apologize for any typos or formatting issues. Still learning.

“Queen, get your ass off the field.” John’s voice echoed through the nearly empty stadium. 

“How many times do I have to tell you, man?” John Diggle, Oliver’s coach, shook his head as he took in the sight before him. 

Oliver pulled off his helmet as he jogged his way towards the sidelines. Annoyance flashed across his face as he approached John. 

“Digg, I said I’m good. We’re just running through some plays. My hand feels perfectly fine,” Oliver said as he shook it out. 

“You might be able to pull that bullshit with them...” Oliver glanced over John’s shoulder at his teammates, watching as they quickly averted their gazes. “But I know damn well that you shouldn’t be playing today, and so do you,” he scolded. 

“Come on coach, tomorrow is the first game of the season. You really expect me to sit it out? Cut me some slack here,” he pleaded with a hint of anger creeping into his voice. 

John clasped his hand onto Oliver’s shoulder. “You know I’m just looking out for you Queen. It’s kind of my job.” 

John removed his hand and crossed his arms. Turning around, he watched as the football fell right out of Tommy Merlyn’s grasp and onto the turf for the third time that day. Without Oliver, the quarterback of the Starling City Archers, the team didn’t stand a chance in tomorrow’s game against The Cougars. The Archers were decent, but John knew their secret weapon was standing behind him, sulking over being benched. 

John turned towards Oliver, sighing in defeat. “Go get your hand checked out again. If the team doctor clears you, you’re in tomorrow.” 

Oliver grabbed his shoulder in thanks and turned to leave the field. 

“Oliver,” John shouted at his retreating figure. He stopped in his tracks and glanced back at his coach. “I mean it, if they don’t clear you, that’s it, you’re benched.”

“Coach...” Oliver started. 

“Oliver, don’t. You’re entire career is riding on that hand. Don’t push it. You’ve got a whole season ahead of you. I know it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things, but I have to treat you just like I would any other injured player...” John’s voice trailed off. 

Oliver cleared his throat, unconsciously rubbing his thumb and pointer finger together, a nervous tick he’d picked up over the years. 

“I know. Got it. Benched unless I’m cleared.” 

—————————————————————

Oliver shook his head in annoyance as he walked towards the team’s medical recovery room. Pushing up the sleeves on his white training shirt, he then hiked his duffel bag over his shoulder. As he kept a steady pace down the corridor, he let his mind wander. 

This would be his first season back and it was already turning into a disaster. The past eight months, his days had been spent with doctors and physical therapists, trying desperately to rehabilitate his right hand. He looked down at the raised scar across it, shuddering as memories flooded in. He pushed the thoughts out as he reached for the door handle of the recovery room. 

“Hey doc, you in here?” he yelled out, scanning the room. 

When no response came, Oliver turned back to the door, ready to retreat to the locker rooms. 

“Sorry!” he heard an exasperated voice say from a distance. “I was in the back unpacking some supplies, I barely heard you come in,” the voice said, getting closer. 

Oliver halted, turning to see a petite blonde quickly shuffle her way down the few stairs towards him. 

“No worries,” he let out, a bit taken back by her presence. 

“Sorry, I was actually looking for Doctor Renner.” He looked around in confusion. “I, uh, must have the wrong recovery room.” 

“Uh no. You’re, um... right room,” she stuttered out. “He actually just left for the day. I’m Felicity. The new team nurse...” she trailed off. 

Oliver looked down at her petite form, taking in the blonde curls that fell over her shoulders. She was cute, gorgeous even. She looked a little younger than him, probably in her early or mid-twenties. 

He extend his hand out to her. “I’m Oliver Queen,” he said softly as she shook his hand. “Sorry for just barging in here. Doctor Renner and I got pretty friendly last season so I usually just stop by when I need to.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said with a smile gracing her lips. 

“And please, don’t apologize. Feel free to stop in whenever. Uh, speaking of which, like I said, Doctor Renner isn’t here but I can take a look for you...what’s wrong exactly? Sorry, I probably should have led with that.” She let out an embarrassed laugh as she tucked a curl behind her ear. 

Oliver’s mouth turned upward, holding in his own laugh as he watched the blonde in front of him stumble over her words.

He broke the silence. Holding his hand out towards her. 

“My hand. The right one. I just needed clearance to play tomorrow. I busted it up pretty bad last year and it’s been giving me problems ever since.” 

“Right,” Felicity said. “I remember hearing about that. Why don’t you take a seat while I grab your file with all your medical history.” 

Oliver walked towards the table used for injured athletes. He took a seat on top as he watched her dart around the room, shuffling through papers. She finally grabbed his file, turned back around, and walked towards him. 

Once again, he took in her appearance. He saw her ID badge swaying back and forth across her chest. 

Felicity Smoak. RN  
STARLING ARCHERS 

“How old are you?” he asked bluntly. 

“What? Don’t trust me?” she said with a teasing smile. 

“No, it’s not that,” he laughed. “You just don’t look like you’re even out of college. I can’t believe you’re actually a nurse.” 

As soon as the words caught up with him, he stuttered out an apology. Her babbling seemed to be contagious. 

“Sorry, that came out wrong. I’m sure you’re highly qualified, you just uh, um you look young.” He shook his head in embarrassment

He glanced back up to see her smiling in amusement. “It’s ok. I get it all the time,” Felicity said with a laugh. 

“I’m 24. But then again, I guess you guys aren’t really used to having people your age around. I’m pretty sure all my co-workers could be my parents,” she said with another laugh. 

She came to stand in front of him, grabbing his hand gently in her own. As she began to look it over, his mind got lost in thought again. 

If he couldn’t play tomorrow, he knew he would be in deep shit. His parents and him were already on the outs, their disapproval of his career choice only growing after his injury. For years, they badgered him about taking his rightful place at Queen Consolidated, the multi-billion dollar company they cherished more than their own children. His decision to play professional football instead of finishing his business degree didn’t exactly sit with well with them. 

Then there was Thea. At only 18, his sister seemed to be the only Queen with their head screwed on straight. Her rebellious phase ended once she graduated high school and she was in college now. To everyone’s surprise, she was actually working towards getting a degree. She came to every game that she could, decked out in Starling City Archers’ merchandise, and cheered him on. She was the one person that always believed in his dreams, no matter how crazy or stupid they were. She was the one person that was able to really get through to him after the accident and- 

“Oliver?” Felicity said softly, disrupting his thoughts. “You alright? You kind of zoned out there for a second?” 

“Yeah, yeah I’m good. Sorry, just a lot to think about. Tomorrow’s kind of a big game.” 

“I can’t imagine. It must be a lot of pressure. You don’t have to apologize.” She looked up at him kindly. 

Felicity cleared her throat and released his hand. She took a step back and grabbed his file, starting to jot down notes. 

“So good news, your hand seems good to go, at least to me. Doctor Renner will have to sign off on my report in the morning, but I’d say you’ll be ok for the game tomorrow. Just don’t push it.” 

Oliver breathed a sigh of relief. He hopped off the table and reached for his duffel bag. 

“I better head out. Stop and let John know that I’m cleared. Thank you for checking it out. I really appreciate it,” Oliver said with a smile, reaching out to give her arm a light squeeze. 

“Of course. It is my job,” she said waving her hand in a dismissive motion. 

“Right. Well, I guess I’ll see you around, huh?” 

“Yeah, see you around.” 

“Hey, Oliver?” He heard behind him. He turned to face her once more. 

“Good luck tomorrow.”


	2. Eight Months

Oliver woke up to the sun peaking through his curtains and directly into his eyes. He covered his face with his forearm, groaning as his alarm sounded.   
  
Grabbing his phone, he clicked off the alarm and stole a glance at the time. 6:30 AM. In other words, his own personal hell. Oliver had never been a morning person, even during his teenage years. After joining the Archers, his hatred for mornings only got worse. 

He pulled himself out of bed, knowing John would kick his ass if he was late to practice...again. 

After changing and grabbing his equipment, he walked through his bedroom door towards the kitchen. Coffee was the only thing that was going to get him through today’s drills. 

The light streamed through the windows of his penthouse as he shuffled through the kitchen, running his hands down his face, over his short scruff. 

Oliver reached up into his wood cabinets for a mug, clasping it by the handle. 

“Fuck.” 

Oliver let out a low breath, clenching his good fist as he looked down at the shattered ceramic mug. His eyes traveled to his right hand, watching as the tremor going through it subsided. The pain traveled up his right arm, effectively putting him in an even worse mood than before. He shook his head as he realized what today was going to be like. 

He grabbed a travel cup, quickly pouring his coffee in and slamming his apartment door behind him. He left the shattered mug scattered across his floor, too fed up to deal with it. 

* * *

“You’re late, man.”   
  
John stood with his clipboard in hand, Oliver’s teammates huddled around him. 

”I know. Bad morning, alright? I’m here now. Let’s just get started,” Oliver huffed. 

As John ran over multiple plays he wanted the team to run through, Tommy Merlyn, the Archers’ wide receiver and conveniently, Oliver’s best friend, leaned in towards him, speaking just above a whisper. 

“He’s pissed dude. He’s keeping his cool now but you should have seen him in the locker room. Something about you already being on thin ice.”   
  
“He wanted to bench me. Renner cleared me but Digg still insists that I shouldn’t be playing.” 

“And should you?” Tommy asked. 

“It’s been eight months, Tommy. Yeah, the hand still gives me a few issues but it’s nothing I can’t handle. You know that.” 

”Did you ever think that maybe it’s more than just the hand? It’s understandable if you’re still not ok, man. Eight months isn’t that long. If it’s about Laurel...” 

“Don’t. Not today. I’m fine,” Oliver grunted out between clenched teeth.   
  
Tommy clasped Oliver’s shoulder, giving him an apologetic squeeze. 

”Alright. Sorry. I didn’t mean to push it. Let’s just get started on these drills.”   
  
Tommy sprinted off to where the guys had migrated, leaving Oliver alone on the sidelines. With one more deep sigh, Oliver took off towards them, shaking away the thoughts lingering in his mind.

* * *

Felicity pulled her ID badge over her head as she made her way towards the field. 

Her first week on the job and already a quarter of the team had ended up in her office. At first, she genuinely thought they must have been complete idiots for managing to get hurt so easily. Eventually, after Carter Bowen sauntered in complaining about supposed turf burn, she realized their visits had ulterior motives. As Carter so kindly put it, the were just scoping out the, “blonde nurse with the great ass.” 

She had grown used to the attention. This wasn’t her first job working with professional assholes, as _she_ so kindly told Carter. 

After graduating from nursing school, Felicity started working immediately. Her first job was with a college team over in Central City. The money was good, the work was easy, and the guys were...well, assholes, but she managed. After two years, she was on the first train back to Starling. As hard as she tried, nothing could compare to home. 

Donna and Noah were ecstatic when she told them about the move. Her parents had always been ridiculously supportive of her, almost too much so, at least in her opinion. 

Felicity always wanted to make something of herself, all on her own, hence the nursing degree. Despite her parents desperate attempts to assure her that she was enough, Felicity always felt trapped in the shadow of her last name. By the time she had turned 10, Smoak Technologies had gone global. Her parents were practically rolling in money and her last name was suddenly trademarked. Her position at the company would have been handed to her on a silver platter had she asked for it. She never did. 

Flash forward 14 years to Felicity jogging across turf, ruining her brand new boots, might she add, instead of sitting in her corner office 700 feet in the sky.   


“Smoak, there you are.” 

John yelled towards her from his crouched position, leaning over one of his players, Barry Allen.   


“What happened? I got an alert back at the office to get out here.”   
  
”I’m pretty sure it’s his ACL.”

She glanced down at the player clutching his leg, clearly in severe pain. After kneeling next to him and running through a routine examination, she stood up, turning towards John. 

”I’m gonna have to take him back and check his leg out some more, but John, from what I’m looking at, he’s out of today’s game. There’s no way he can play with that leg.” 

John sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. Today was their first game and he’s already lost a player before it’s started. He quickly thanked Felicity and approached Barry to discuss his replacement before he went back to be treated.   
  
For the first time, Felicity took in her surroundings. As she looked up, she caught a pair of piercing blue eyes starting at her.   
  
Oliver Queen. She’d been a bit taken back when he stopped by the office looking for Doctor Renner yesterday. The playboy plastered on gossip magazines certainly wasn’t the man that she had met. He intrigued her. She saw past the hard exterior the second he smiled at her. There was a light in his eyes, a light diminished by the sadness she could see in them.   


Felicity didn’t live under a rock. A few months back, eight to be exact, she had seen the headlines and heard the news reports. As she looked down the field at him, they echoed in her head.   


_Fatal Car Crash involving the Archer’s Oliver Queen._  
_One pronounced dead at the scene._


	3. Forbidden Love?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So excited to finally post this chapter. 
> 
> You learn a little bit more about Felicity’s backstory and finally some Olicity banter/bonding. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

Earlier that day, after what seemed like an endless staring contest with Oliver on the field, Felicity broke her gaze.   
  
She took Barry back to the medical recovery room and took care of his injury to the best of her ability. He would have a long road ahead of him to recover, but for now, she did all she could. 

The hours passed by slowly as Felicity sat in her office sorting through paperwork. It was almost time for the first and most anticipated game of the season to start, The Archers Vs. The Cougars. Felicity rose from her seat, once again grabbing her ID badge and heading towards the field.   
  
It usually wasn’t mandatory that the team nurse be present on the field during games, at least in Felicity’s previous experience. Although, with an injured player on the sidelines, a quarterback with a bad hand, and quite honestly, a team full of dumbasses, John insisted that she be present at every game, just in case. 

In Felicity’s short time with the Archers, she and John had grown quite close. He was an incredible coach that clearly cared about his team. They had spent time chatting while watching the boys practice, John telling her about his wife, Lyla, and his daughter, Sara. Felicity made a promise to meet them one day, eager to get to know her new work family better. 

“Felicity,” a voice broke her out of her thoughts. A deep, husky voice that may or may not have sent a shiver down her spine. 

She turned around to find Oliver, in full uniform, cheeks adorned with black stripes.   
  
“Hey, how’s the hand?” she questioned, slightly shouting over the crowd beginning to enter the stadium. 

“It’s uh, it’s good. Thanks again for checking it out the other day.”   
  
Felicity could sense the hesitation in his voice. Ignoring his thanks, she reached down, pulling his large hand into her petite one.

She briefly felt the tension in it before he pulled it out of her grasp, wincing quietly as he did so.   
  
“Oliver, that is not what I would call good!”

“It’s fine. It’s a little bit sore but that’s all. I’ll make it through the game with no trouble. Don’t worry about it.” 

He chuckled slightly and shook his head at the expression on her face. She went to protest, reaching out towards his hand again, just as John called the team out. 

“Duty calls.” 

“Ugh,” she grumbled in defeat. “Come see me after,” she yelled as he jogged towards the team. 

“I mean it Oliver! I want to check and make sure it’s ok after the game.” 

He gave her a slight nod and an all too charming wink before pulling his helmet over his head. Felicity shook her head at him, partly in annoyance, mostly in amusement.

Oliver Queen was something else.

* * *

  
Felicity somehow managed to make it through the entire game without biting through every one of her nails. It was tied up until the very end of the fourth quarter, the Archers claiming their first victory of the season. 

Felicity’s eyes barely left Oliver all night, watching him intently throughout the entire game. Surprisingly enough, she caught his eyes lingering in her direction in between plays. 

_Yes, Felicity, he is ridiculously attractive. A professional athlete. He’s sweet and funny and clearly there’s more to him than meets the eye. And Jesus, don’t even get me started on the abs he flashed during practice this morni-_

Felicity shook her head attempting to rid it of Oliver. They’re technically “co-workers.” You don’t think about co-worker’s abs. Or their dimples. Or their perfect jawline. 

Felicity let out a sigh as she stood up from the sideline bench and began walking back towards her office. She was hyped up on adrenaline from watching the game and she had let her imagination run wild. 

She barely knew Oliver. They had talked and become acquainted, but she knew virtually nothing about the man. Not to mention, he clearly has baggage of his own to work through. Yet, here she was, daydreaming about the quarterback. Talk about a cliché.

* * *

The second Felicity’s feet reached her office, her phone went off. 

Pulling it out of the back pocket of her blue jeans, Felicity glanced at the caller ID. 

_Mom.  
_

Taking a seat on the edge of her desk, Felicity answered the call, her back facing the door.

”Hi baby! Oh, how was your first week? I just saw the game and the boys played wonderful! Oh, you are just so lucky. What’s it like spending everyday with that many handsome men?” 

Donna rattled off question after question, her voice reaching decibels Felicity thought humanly impossible. 

She laughed at her mother’s excitement. Despite her extroverted personality and overbearingness, Felicity has no clue what she would do without her. The two were polar opposites, but Felicity loved her all the same. 

“My first week was good, mom. I think I’m really gonna like it. Being back in Starling just feels right, you know?”   
  
“Avoiding my questions about the handsome athletes I see. But that’s great, honey, I’m so glad you’re happy. Your father and I are thrilled to have you back.” 

“I’m glad you called. I was thinking about you guys earlier.” 

“I’m sure you were, you and your father used to spend so much time at the stadium together. Speaking of which, has anyone put two and two together yet?” 

“Mom...” Felicity protested.   
  
“What, sweetheart? You should take advantage of it. I mean, you practically own those boys,” Donna said with a lighthearted giggle. 

Felicity sighed and began shifting uncomfortably on her desk. She knew where this conversation was headed. 

“No, mom, you and dad own those boys. The team, you own the team. It sounds weird the other way,” Felicity said scrunching her nose up.   
  
“Whatever you say, sweetheart. Sooner or later someone is going to catch on though. Don’t make yourself look foolish.” 

A knock interrupted Felicity’s train of thought. Twisting around, she saw Oliver standing in the doorframe of her office, a smirk gracing his lips. 

“Hey, I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow, mom.” 

Felicity didn’t wait for a response, dropping her phone onto her desk, turning to face Oliver.  
  
“Exactly how much of that did you hear?” she questioned anxiously. 

“Not much. Only the part about you basically owning me,” he said with an amused voice, crossing his arms over his chest and he walked towards her. 

Felicity let out a groan, her head dropping into her hands out of pure embarrassment. 

”You weren’t supposed to hear that,” she mumbled into her hands. 

Oliver reached out, gently pulling her hands from her face. He stood directly in front of her desk now as she stayed on the edge of it.   
  
“Come on. What’s the big deal? Your dad owns the team. Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t realize sooner that you were Noah’s daughter. Then again, I’ve only met him about once so...” 

She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him. 

He laughed at her expression and took a seat next to her on the edge of her desk, their shoulders bumping into one another. He had changed out of his uniform and into a light grey shirt and sweatpants. It looked like he had showered too, his hair still slightly damp.

”Seriously, why are you freaking out over it?” Oliver asked.

“It’s not a big deal, I guess. I don’t know, it’s just that I worked so hard to get here. I wanted a chance to step out of my parents shadow and earn a career, you know? I just wanted this to be for me. The second people know that I’m Noah’s daughter, the rumors about how I got the job will be never ending and...and I like it here. I like John. And I really like you and... as a friend. I meant that I like you as a friend, completely platonic. Not that you’re not a great guy...I just...hm,” she caught herself babbling.

“You can stop me at any time you know?” 

Oliver let out a chuckle, grinning from ear to ear. 

“No, I was gonna let you keep going. I was really enjoying that.” 

Felicity narrowed her eyes at him once again, playfully slapping his arm. 

“Shut up.” 

He shook his head, laughing once again. 

“You know...” Oliver started. ”I get it. My parents always had their own thing and they just expected me to become them. They’re still pissed at me for choosing to play football.”

“Queen Consolidated? Right?” Felicity asked.   
  
“Yeah,” he sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents, but there’s part of me that resents the fact that I could never be my own person. That’s why I wanted to be in the NFL. Make a name for myself. The company is all they really care about. I’d rather become a washed up athlete than turn into them one day.” 

“Wow, that’s...”

”Heavy?” he questioned with a laugh. 

Felicity let out a soft laugh, nodding her head.

”You didn’t have to tell me all that. I’m glad you did though,” Felicity said, suddenly realizing how close they were to one another.

”I’m glad I did too. The past few months have just been a whole lot of bullshit, but uh, listening to you babble...” he paused. “that was the first time I’ve felt at ease in a long time.” 

Felicty grabbed his hand resting on his leg and squeezed it gently.   
  
“I’m glad my lack of social skills amuse you,” she said playfully, getting up to stand in front of him. 

His deep chuckle rang through her ears, a smiling coming to rest on her face. 

“Alright, childhood trauma officially shared, let’s see the hand.”

* * *

Oliver walked through the door of his apartment, the lights of the city illuminating his face. He dropped his bag on the floor and trudged towards his room. Falling back into his bed, he reached for his phone, sending a text to Felicity.   
  
After she had examined his hand, and yelled at him for playing while he was hurt, the two sat in her office exchanging stories. 

Oliver hadn’t felt so relaxed in months. It was just easy with Felicity. Two days and he couldn’t get enough of talking to her. 

Finding out that she was Noah Smoak’s daughter didn’t deter him. If anything, it made him like her more. She understood him. Apparently, rich parents were a great conversation starter. 

Oliver’s phone tore him away from his thoughts. Glancing down, he looked at their thread of texts. 

_O: You get home safe?_

_F: Yes, all good. I told you I’d be fine. I don’t live far from the stadium._

_O: Just making sure. Can’t have our new nurse disappearing on us._  
  
_F: Ha ha. Very funny. Go to bed. We have to be at the stadium by 7 tomorrow and only one of us has to run laps..._

_O: Got it, coach. Goodnight._

Oliver chuckled as he threw his phone on his nightstand. They had exchanged numbers earlier that night, Oliver insisting it was necessary in case he had a “medical emergency”. She rolled her eyes at his excuse, letting out an adorable laugh. 

The two had completely lost track of time, sitting in her office sharing stories until Tommy barged in, alerting him of how late it had gotten. 

While the boys walked out towards the car, Tommy couldn’t help but notice the small smile his best friend was sporting. It was a smile that Tommy hadn’t seen in a long time, one he was pretty sure a petite blonde was responsible for. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for chapter three. Hope you guys liked it. 
> 
> Also, sorry for updating so sporadically. I’m still trying to figure out where I want this story to go. 
> 
> Chapter 4 will be sometime next week!


	4. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys! I am so sorry for taking forever to get this chapter up. 
> 
> Here’s a little bit more backstory and just a little bit of Olicity fluff. 
> 
> Enjoy :)

  
Over the next few weeks, the team finally fell into a good routine. John was ecstatic with the their performance and Oliver was finally starting to feel like himself again. 

Every Sunday night, no matter how late the game finished, he and Felicity retreated to her office. Oliver’s teammates could hear the giggles all the way in the locker room, teasing him about it any chance they got. 

They were friends. Touchy, flirtatious friends, but friends, nonetheless.   
  
“Smoak!” Oliver’s deep voice echoed across the field. 

Looking in his direction, shielding her eyes from the sun, she saw him jogging over to her, dressed in his training gear.   
  
He approached her on the sidelines, slinging an arm over her shoulder, pulling her into his side as they walked.

”Does calling me by my last name make me an official member of the team? Because if so, I want a jersey to prove it,” she said jokingly, looking up at him. 

“I can make that happen,” he said chuckling.

”So what’s up?” she said, her laughter subsiding. “Hand ok? Any arm pain?”

”I’ve told you a million times, all good. In fact, I think it’s the best it’s ever been.”   
  
“I know what you’ve told me, but Oliver, just because you can catch a football, that doesn’t mean-“ 

Her voice halted mid-sentence, shrieking as Oliver hoisted her up over his shoulder, running down the field. 

“Oliver! Put me down!” Felicity yelled in between laughs, lightly punching on his back.

“See? I’m fine,” he said chuckling. 

Carter nudged Tommy, nodding his head across the field at Oliver and Felicity. The rest of the team started to look up, chucking at the sight before them.

Tommy shook his head in amusement, stealing one last glance at the smile on Oliver’s face. 

* * *

The sun was beginning to set, only a sliver of light still shining on the field. The boys had just wrapped up practice and went back to the locker room to wash up. Felicity was making her way to her office when John called her name from his seat in the stands. 

“Getting a new vantage point?” questioned Felicity as she climbed the concrete stairs to meet John. She took a seat next to him, gazing out at the vast empty field before them. 

“Just taking it all in. Things get so hectic around here, sometimes you forget to stop and appreciate it.” 

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Felicity said lightly. 

“How’s your dad?” 

“He’s good. Taking some time away from the company, enjoying life.” 

It was silent for a beat. Felicity knew that John and her father were friendly. As head coach for the Archers, John stayed in contact with the owner, updating him on any developments. 

“John, I know you didn’t call me up here to ask about my dad, who you probably talked to a least twice this week. What’s up?” 

“Oliver,” he said bluntly. 

“What about him? He seems like he’s doing well.”   
  
“That’s what I’m worried about, Felicity.” John sighed, shifting in his seat. “I know you two have gotten close these past few weeks. 

Felicity spoke up quickly. “John, we’re just friends. If that’s what this is about-“ 

“It’s not that. I’m happy that you’ve gotten close, it’s just that, Oliver, he’s uh...complicated. There’s a lot about his past that you don’t know, Felicity. 

_Fatal Car Crash. Archer’s Oliver Queen. One pronounced dead at the scene._

The words echoed in her head once again. 

“The accident?” she asked John. 

“He lost a lot that night, Felicity. A lot more than he lets on. The team and I heard about everything from the news. He came back a few weeks later like nothing had happened. Refused to talk about it.” 

Felicity took a deep breath. She had figured Oliver’s accident took a toll on him, both physically and emotionally. When she had seen those headlines months ago, she never bothered to look into it further. Half of it was rumors, just like everything in the tabloids. She chalked it up to being none of her business and never took it upon herself to learn more.   
  
“Laurel,” John’s voice caught her attention. 

“Laurel?” Felicity questioned. 

“That was her name. His girlfriend.” 

Felicity’s breath hitched. Her voice suddenly caught in her throat.   
_  
One pronounced dead at the scene._

 _“_ He seems happy again, and don’t get me wrong, I’m glad, but eight months isn’t a long time, especially when you don’t let yourself grieve. Not even a day, Felicity. I’m afraid he’s pushed it so far down that it’s all going to come crashing in. Not to mention, the nerve damage in his hand is never going to heal if he keeps pushing himself. He’s a ticking time bomb.” 

”I uh, I thought he was clear to play,” Felicity swallowed. “Doctor Renner said he was fine.” 

”It comes and goes. The tremors, the numbness. Half the time he ignores it. But one more injury on that field, he’s done. If that damage becomes permanent...” he trailed off. 

Felicity nodded her head in understanding. Clearing her throat, she tucked a curl behind her ear. 

“Uh, Laurel, she-“ 

“Ask him, Felicity. It might do him some good to talk to someone about it. It’s not my place. This isn’t me trying to pressure you, I just... you’re the first person that I’ve seen get through to him. Not me, not Tommy, not even his parents.” 

A moment passed. Felicity sat there, gazing at the field. John gave her arm a comforting squeeze, rising up from his seat. 

As John’s figure retreated down the concrete steps, Felicity dropped her head back, sinking down into the plastic seat. 

Oliver Queen, _definitely_ more than meets the eye. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for Chapter 4! I know it’s a short one but I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Also, please stay home, stay safe, and stay healthy! Hope y’all are doing ok! Stick together during these tough times.


	5. Just Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! I am so, so, so sorry that it’s taken me this long to post a new chapter. To be completely honest, quarantine laziness got the best of me these past few months, and I considered completely scrapping this story. I was thinking about it the other night though, and decided to get back to writing. Don’t count on frequent updates, but hopefully at some point the story will be complete :) 
> 
> Thanks for being patient. Enjoy!!

The first Friday after the start of the season was always the annual team dinner. Everyone was “required” to attend, medical staff included. Felicity was tempted to stay locked in her apartment, wanting to avoid her mother’s guaranteed game of twenty questions. Despite Felicity’s insistence that she wasn’t seeing anyone new, Donna Smoak could see the smile on her daughters face when she talked about her “friend” Oliver and would not leave her be.

Speaking of Oliver, and speaking of avoiding, Felicity wasn’t exactly thrilled to be trapped in a restaurant with him all night either. After her conversation with John, Felicity had been dreading asking Oliver about his accident. Sure, they had become friends, but despite Donna’s belief, they were just friends.

_Was it her place to ask him? Is that something a girlfriend asks about? Is that too personal, too quick?_

“Felicity? Earth to Felicity,” Caitlyn called.

Caitlyn and Felicity had been roommates in college, quickly bonding over their love of anything and everything technology related. Despite their pursuits for careers in nursing, the two of then could sit and code for hours on end. When she decided to move back to Starling, Caitlyn offered Felicity her spare room in a heartbeat, making the two roommates yet again until Felicity got situated. It was like a never ending high school sleepover, and Felicity loved it, except when she wanted to have an existential crisis about what to wear in peace... like right now.

“Why are you just standing there? Shouldn’t you be like, half-dressed by now? I thought the dinner was at seven?”

“I know! I know!” Felicity huffed, snapping out of her trance and returning to ransacking her closet.

“I was thinking and trying to pick an outfit at the same time and we all know I’m incapable of multitasking,” she said hurriedly.

“Felicity... you kind of have crazy eyes right now, hon. Take a breath. Inhale. Exhale,” Caitlyn said jokingly with a hint of seriousness in her voice.

“Cait, my parents are going to be there, a million professional athletes, not to mention paparazzi, and this is literally my best option,” Felicity said, holding up a high collared grey dress.

“It could be worse...” Caitlyn winced slowly.

“It’s my funeral dress,” Felicity said bluntly, pure desperation building.

“Yeah, that’s not gonna work, I was trying to be a nice friend,” Caitlyn said grabbing the dress, quickly throwing it aside.

Felicity plopped down on her bed, hands thrown over her eyes. She let out a frustrated grunt, pushing Caitlyn into action.

“Ok. I think I can fix this.”

—————————————————————

Oliver’s attention left Tommy’s story, his eyes shifting to the glass doors of the restaurant where camera flashes had resumed. The entire team was standing in this room, making him question who had gained the paparazzi’s attention outside.

As if he had turned on a movie, the most breathtaking scene played out before him. The doors glided open with the help of a petite hand, blonde curls coming into view shortly after. Oliver’s eyes met hers from across the room, sending a feeling of joy through his entire body. That feeling was quickly replaced by something much heavier as he took in her appearance. She wore a snug, short black dress, adorned with a bow tied perfectly at her chest. Her black, strappy heels clicked as she approached him, matching the shutter of the camera still going off behind her. As if that wasn’t enough, rain pounded the streets, and yet, she entered, presumably perfectly dry.

“Jesus. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it rain like this in Starling,” Felicity said, shaking out her hair.

“All damn week. I have a feeling we’ll be playing in the mud on Sunday, Smoak,” Tommy joked as he kissed her cheek, the two of them becoming quite friendly over the past few weeks.

“Have fun with that, Merlyn. I’ll be watching from the comfort of my office that day,” she joked back, moving to hug Oliver hello.

“Hi,” she whispered as his arms wrapped around her, silently cursing herself for not being able to avoid him, completely overcome by his comforting presence.

“Hi back. You look gorgeous,” he said softly, their tones much too intimate for supposed friends.

“Thank you. Not too bad yourself,” Felicity let out with a laugh as they untangled from one another.

Tommy had walked further into the restaurant, giving the two as much privacy as possible. Felicity took in the scene around her, the front of the room bustling with people from the team.

“Why is everyone still standing in here? I thought Diggle reserved the back room?” Felicity questioned.

“He did. Everyone’s waiting on your parents actually. Which by the looks of it... are here now,” Oliver said, motioning to the flashes starting up once again.

Felicity grabbed Oliver’s arm with force, pulling him along with her towards the back of the event room. The rest of the team began making their way in, resuming interrupted conversations.

“What are you-“

“I need to avoid my mother at all costs tonight Oliver. I don’t feel like explaining us...you... our relationsh...friendship! I don’t feel like explaining our friendship because she’ll pry,” Felicity said between hurried breaths, wincing as she heard her own stuttering.

She glanced up at Oliver, hearing the rumble of laughter coming from his chest.

“I will do my very best to be your personal shield from them tonight,” he said with a hint of amusement.

“Now move your ass, Smoak. They’re walking this way,” Oliver shooed her.

The two retreated farther into the room, smiles adoring their faces as they scurried through the guests.

—————————————————————

“Oliver Queen! You’ve been holding out on me” Felicity scolded.

After hours of dodging her parents, Donna and Noah finally called it a night and retreated home, leaving Felicity and Oliver at peace. The two sat at a table in a low-lit corner, faces mere inches from one another as they spoke over the music.

“Oliver! Seriously, out of all the conversations we’ve had, you waited until now to tell me that you’re some secret wine connoisseur,” Felicity said with fake offense in her voice.

Oliver sipped his drink, watching her bright smile as she poked fun at him. They hadn’t left one another’s side all night, and for the first time in months, Oliver felt truly relaxed. He eased back into his chair, listening to her go on and on about her love for wine.

“I’ll take you to my parent’s vineyard,” Oliver interrupted without thinking. He cleared his throat and rubbed his thumb and index finger together, “As uh...friends. We can go as friends.”

Felicity started at him, the corners of her mouth lifting into a smile. He said one thing, but his eyes certainly told another story.

Felicity knew this was dangerous territory. She had felt the shift between them the moment they locked eyes tonight. But it couldn’t happen, it wouldn’t happen.

_You’re co-workers. He has baggage. Your dad owns the team. Laurel._

The words left her mouth before she couldn’t even register them.

“Yeah, I’d like that. I’d really like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it for Chapter 5! Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> Stay safe! Happy almost Halloween:)


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